DC deciphering help needed please

[emanday]

I've uploaded a DC to the gallery. Most of it is quite clear.

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1200

Jessie Stewart m.s. Drummond, wife of William Stewart, died on 24 January 1899 and it was registered on that same day. As far as I can see, all the information given is correct and she died of Bronchial Asthma after 10 days & Cardiac Failure.

There is an RCE in the margin dated 12th March 1899, Vol vi (or it could be Vol ii) Page 227.

This is nearly two months after her death and I need help to decide about what this RCE would have been required for? William was the informant and both her parents are correctly named and shown as deceased.

There is one thing on the DC that I'm not sure about and that is what is written beneath the date of death but above the time of death. The second word seems to be "dead" but I really can't make it out properly. Neither of the other entries has anything written in there.

Gallery URL added - AndrewP

[AndrewP]

There is one thing on the DC that I'm not sure about and that is what is written beneath the date of death but above the time of death. The second word seems to be "dead" but I really can't make it out properly. Neither of the other entries has anything written in there.

Found dead

All the best,

AndrewP

[emanday]

Of course it is

As hard as I looked at it, I just couldn't work that out!
Methinks me and the optician need another wee chat

[Falkyrn]

This is nearly two months after her death and I need help to decide about what this RCE would have been required for? William was the informant and both her parents are correctly named and shown as deceased.

With no one present at the time of the death and no indications that she may have suffered ill health (or possibly a doctor hadn't seen her for some time and was unwilling to issue a death certificate) this would have been treated as a "sudden death" which required to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal for investigation.
While this was going on the family would have been able to report the matter and make suitable arrangements as neceseary but all parties would have been aware that it was a "sudden death" investigation which would have delayed some things but not others.

A preliminary police report would have been prepared and forwarded to the PF who then has several options open
1. Suspicious circumstances - continue investigation as a criminal matter
2. No suspicious circumstances but no death certificate being issued by the family doctor - order post mortem which may give further information as to the path the investigation should take.

If everything turns up clear the paperwork is eventually worked through the system and an RCE would have been made confirming the initial cause and 2 months appears to be about average for this to happen.

[emanday]

Hi Falkyrn,

She actually had been ill for the 10 days previous to her death, "Bronchial Asthma 10 days" and Cardiac Failure according to the entry.

Also, her death was certified by Robert Morton, I'm assuming a doctor.